1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic train operation apparatus for operating a train automatically from an initial start position to a final stop position.
2. Description of the Background Art
Conventionally, an automatic train operation (ATO) apparatus has a configuration shown in FIG. 1, where the apparatus comprises an AT0 device 1; a security device 2 such as an ATC (automatic train control device) or ATS (automatic train stop device) connected to the ATO device 1; a master controller 3 for allowing manual train operation control which is connected with the AT0 device 1; a control device 4 including a power running controller 4A and a break controller 4B which are controlled by either the AT0 device 1 or the master controller 3; a driving device 5 such as a DC motor and an induction motor which is controlled by the control device 4; an air break operation device 7 for operating an air break of a train; an air break controller 6 for activating the air break operation device 7 while monitoring an electric break power so as to control a total break power of a train, which is controlled by either the AT0 device 1 or the master controller 3; a ground signal receiver 8 for receiving ground signals from rails which is connected with the security device 2; a train pick up 9 for receiving ground terminal signals which is connected with the ATO device 1; a tach generator 10 for generating a train speed signal which is connected with the security device 2; and a display device 11 for displaying a train operation realized by the ATO device 1.
In such a conventional ATO apparatus, the AT0 device 1 and the security device 2 are provided separately, and the ATO device 1 and the master controller 3 cooperate such that the ATO device is inactive while the master controller 3 is operated, and the ATO device 1 is active while the master controller 3 is not operated.
Now, as shown in FIG. 2, the conventional ATO device 1 includes a single ATO unit 12, a triple ATC unit system 13, a majority logic circuit 14 for determining an output of the triple ATC unit system 13, and an output circuit 15, such that an improved reliability due to the redundancy can be achieved for the outputs of the triple ATC unit system 13 which are supplied to the output circuit 15 by using the majority logic circuit 14 which operates in a 2-out-of-3 policy.
For this conventional AT0 device 1 of FIG. 2, a total reliability can be calculated according to a diagram shown in FIG. 3, where a reliability of the ATO unit 12 is set equal to R.sub.O and a reliability of each ATC unit 13 is set equal to R.sub.C. This diagram of FIG. 8 indicates that the total reliability R is given by: EQU R=(3R.sub.C.sup.2 -2R.sub.C.sup.3).multidot.R.sub.O ( 1)
in which the total reliability R takes a form of a product of the reliability of the ATO unit 12 and the reliability of each ATC unit 13. Therefore, in a case R.sub.C =R.sub.O =0.9 for example, the resulting total reliability can only be R=0.875, which is lower than either one of the reliability of the ATO unit 12 and the reliability of each ATC unit 13.
Thus, in a conventional ATO device, the reliability of the ATO device is lower than the reliability of the components involved in the ATO device.
On the other hand, recently, an application of a fuzzy control method has been introduced to the ATO device 1 of the ATO apparatus instead of a conventional PID control method in which the running pattern is strictly followed, in order to improve to passenger comfort and an accuracy of the stop position.
However, in a conventional ATO device using the fuzzy control method, an enormous amount of time is necessary for learning the operation to become a skillful human operator.